A little extra help...

In an effort to live my best life (as Oprah would say) I’ve made a few changes this year:.

A week before starting work, I purged: books I never wanted to read again, clothes I hadn’t worn in years, pants that were too tight and cheap looking, (Orfus was a great place to shop 5 years ago, but doesn’t quite fit with my future;) shoes that are cute, but so uncomfortable to wear; cheap jewelry tarnished with age; years of paper bills; the 10 bags I got from Canal street, with the massive C’s that everyone knows is a fake, pots that can no longer be called non stick etc. etc.

Then I made a list. A list of things I wanted to upgrade including my curtains, floors, kitchen counter, painting the house and my closet.

I have this lovely neighbor whose motto I’ve decided to adopt, “If you’re not an expert in something, find an expert to help you out.”

I started with my wardrobe. Yorkdale Mall has an amazing service, a free personal shopper (PS.) There is an initial $25 booking fee, for new customers which is returned to you in form of a gift card, redeemable anytime. You give your PS a budget and they shop with you, helping you build and update your wardrobe.

I decided that instead of buying piecemeal items throughout the year that sometimes looked ok together, I’d shop once a season, with a holistic approach to my look. I had a gorgeous ex-model J show me around picking out things, some of which I loved, some not so much; but often things I would never really look at myself, which ended up looking great. The PS spends time getting to know you, your style and the look you want to achieve. The focus is on building in key pieces that are easy to wear Best of all there is no pressure to buy a single thing. And it’s applicable to both men and women!

Great experience, everyone in Toronto should give it a try. And outside the city, I strongly suggest checking your mall for this service.